Materials You?ll Need
The following is a list of materials you will need to complete your wall repair project:
- Paint
- Primer
- Paintbrush
- Drywall compound (spackle)
- Putty knife
- Paint scraper
- Wire brush
- Fine-grit sandpaper
All of the listed items above can be found at your local hardware store, as they are commonly used in many different projects. You may even have most of these items in your home already. One thing to note is to make sure that your paint is the same color and medium as what is already on your wall. For instance, if you have beige acrylic paint applied to your wall, you can?t use eggshell white alkyd paint to cover up. Now that you know what materials you will need, here?s a step-by-step guide on how to fix chipped paint on walls.
Step 1: Secure Your Painting Area
Depending on the size of the area you are painting, you will want to make sure that the surrounding areas are protected from paint and spackle. To secure your area, use painters tape to cover any crown molding, light switches, or outlets near your painting parameters. Lay down newspaper or any material that you don?t mind getting paint on in order to protect your floors. Once you have your area secured and all of your materials gathered, you can start working on your wall.
Step 2: Remove paint chips
Grab your paint scraper and gently remove any peeling paint or paint chips, making sure not to dig too deep into the drywall. You should avoid creating more texture on the wall than necessary because at the end of this process you want your wall to appear as if no extra work has been done to it. However, if you do end up scratching the wall, it is nothing some spackle can?t fix.
Next, after you have scraped the larger pieces of chipped paint away from your wall, go in with a wire brush for the finer paint flakes. You will know you are done with this step when there is no more chipped paint that could create unwanted texture when you go in to repaint.
Step 3: Apply Spackle
Your next step is to apply a thin layer of compound over the area you are repairing. In this case, this can be spackle or something similar. Use a putty knife in order to apply the compound to your wall. This tool will be useful in ensuring that your layer of spackle is leveled with the angle of the wall. Because you are just repairing chipped paint rather than a hole in the wall, it should not take much spackle to cover your area. Applying this compound to your wall is like giving it a new canvas for the paint to stick to. Once your spackle is completely dry, you can move on to the next step.
Step 4: Sand The Area
This second-to-last step is simple, and the only tool you need is your fine-grit sandpaper. Apply the sandpaper using gentle pressure in circular motions to the repaired area of your wall. You will need to file down the texture of your dried spackle until it matches the rest of the wall. This step is all about making the texture blend in so that if you were to touch your wall, it would not be a raised bump or have inconsistencies in comparison to the rest of the wall.
Step 5: Prime and Paint
Your wall is now ready for paint! Before you can add a coat of paint to your repaired wall, you have the choice of applying primer. Adding primer before a layer of paint will help the fresh coat adhere to the wall better. However, if you are working with just a small area, you may skip this step. With your paintbrush in hand, apply the color evenly until you have reached a desired amount of coating. Once this layer is dry, your repair project is complete!
Professional Painting Services
Now that you know how to fix chipped paint on walls, you are ready to move on to your next project. Repairing a small spot on your wall is simple enough, but bigger projects often require a helping hand. Leave it to the pros for your next big painting project, and you can sit back and let the renovations begin. Pro Painters uses only the highest quality materials and paint, with painting experts that know exactly how to get a job done right and in a timely manner. Claim your free estimate today, and take advantage of our offer of $250 off a $2,000 or more project!
